Senior US lawmakers from both parties are pressing for tighter controls on the export of advanced American artificial intelligence chips to China. They warned that allegations involving Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang have heightened national security concerns.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer has urged Congress to move quickly on three bipartisan bills designed to restrict China’s access to American technology.
His call followed a joint statement by Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren and Republican Senator Jim Banks demanding stronger export controls.
The renewed push comes as lawmakers consider including restrictions on advanced semiconductor technology in the annual defence policy legislation.
Mr. Schumer called for passage of the AI OVERWATCH Act, the MATCH Act and the Chip Security Act, arguing that Washington must prevent sensitive American technology from reaching potential adversaries.
He also demanded an immediate briefing for the Senate and House intelligence committees on alleged Chinese efforts to obtain information from Nvidia and other American AI companies. He accused President Donald Trump of failing to adequately confront intelligence concerns.
Senators Warren and Banks, both members of the Senate Banking Committee, said they had urged the Commerce Department in March to reconsider Nvidia’s export licences to China and conduct a comprehensive national security review.
They alleged that Nvidia had subsequently received approvals to export hundreds of thousands of advanced AI chips to China, including those companies with reported connections to the Chinese military.